1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pressurized storage system for a service truck body or the like and more particularly to a pressurized storage system for a service truck body or the like which pressurizes the storage compartment or compartments of the truck body to prevent the entry of contaminants such as dust, dirt, rain or snow into the storage compartment or compartments. Even more particularly, this invention relates to a pressurized storage system for a service truck body or the like which pressurizes the storage compartment or compartments of the truck body but does not occupy space within the truck body compartment or compartments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Service truck bodies are mounted on a vehicle frame and include one or more storage compartments which are normally closed by a closure door or the like. While the vehicle is in motion, the flexure of the vehicle frame causes torsion and deformation in the truck body structure. The deformation of the truck body structure allows gaps to exist at the edge of the compartment closure doors thereby creating paths for contaminants to enter the truck body compartment.
Maintainer Corporation of Iowa, in approximately 1980, was the first to develop a pressurized storage system for service truck bodies which pressurized the storage compartment or compartments thereof to prevent contaminants from entering the truck body compartment or compartments. In the service truck body industry, the standard prior art solution to prevent contaminants from entering the storage compartment of the truck body compartment was to place a single inlet centrifugal blower inside the truck body compartment to pull outside air into the truck body compartment through an externally mounted air filter to maintain a static pressure in the truck body compartment to prevent the entry of contaminants from outside the truck. Although the pressurized storage systems of the prior art did satisfactorily function to prevent contaminants from entering the storage compartment or compartments, certain disadvantages or issues were presented by the prior art system. First, by having the single inlet centrifugal blower positioned inside the truck body compartment, the same required additional guarding for operator safety since the operator could come into contact with the impeller of the blower. Second, the blower location inside the storage compartment took up valuable storage space. Third, maintenance of the system requires maintenance in two separate locations, that is, inside the truck body compartment, and externally on the top of the truck body compartment. Fourth, while standard truck body warranties are up to 10,000 hours, the standard blowers for the pressurized system are only rated at 1,000 hours of life.